Caramel Sauce (for ice cream or apples)

1 1/2C Sugar
1/2C brown sugar
1/2C butter
2C heavy whipping cream
1C corn syrup

In a saucepan combine everything and bring to a rolling boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to med/low and continue to simmer for 30 minutes stirring frequently. It will thicken slightly and turn a darker caramel color.
store in the refrigerator.

I let this cool a little and poured it in small jars for Christmas gifts. Looked cute wrapped in cellophane with a big bow and a tag along with a bag of apples.

makes 5 cups.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (From Mom's old orange Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Cream together:
2/3 C Butter
2/3C Shortening
1 C Sugar
1C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Then add:
3C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
almost a whole bag of Chocolate Chips
Bake for 8-10 min at 375

Oreo Cookies

COOKIES:
2 boxes Devil Food cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 C shortening
FROSTING:
1 brick of cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2-2 C powdered sugar

Mix together cake mix, eggs and shortening.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet
bake at 350 for 8 minutes
flatten slightly with back of spatula
remove to wire rack to cool

Meanwhile, cream together the ingredients for the frosting, gradually adding the powdered sugar until it gets to your desired consistency. If it gets too thick you can add a little milk.

Use the frosting between two cookies.
This recipe made 30 oreo cookies (60 single cookies) Just depends on the size you make them.
*This recipe came from my friend Kristy.

BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are our 'Sunday" cookies! Joey makes them at least twice a month after church. Most times we deliver them to neighbors but lots of times we eat them all ourselves! They're SO good!

2 C sugar
2 C brown sugar
2 C shortening
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
4 T milk
4 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 C oats
2 C chocolate chips

Cream together sugars, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Add milk. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to sugar mixture and mix with hand mixer. Add oats, then chocolate chips.
Place rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased stoneware pan (could use a regular old cookie sheet)
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let then sit on the pan for 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
This recipe makes a TON!!!! If you're not planning to give any away to neighbors you might want to half it!

Marshmallow popcorn

1 Cube of Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Corn Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla
2 bags microwave Popcorn
3 Cups mini Marshmallows

Combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, Boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally, remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla.
Combine pop corn and marshmallow in large bowl and drizzle sugar mixture over top.
Spread onto a lightly greased foil lined pan to cool.

This recipe came from my friend Kristy. She brought it to a YW activity.

LAURA C's CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 c Crisco
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 c flour
pinch of salt
1 pkg milk chocolate chips (she always used the BIG ones)

cream together Crisco, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and blend till well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake @ 350 for 11-12 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

*I altered this a little bit. The original recipe called for 1 tsp baking soda. I didn't have any so I substituted 2 tsp baking powder. Also, the original recipe bakes for 8-10 minutes. These bake for right about 12 minutes.

CARMEL APPLES

2 C brown sugar
1 C corn syrup
1/2 C butter
1 can sweetened condensed
1 tsp vanilla
12 granny smith apples
12 wooden dowels (6'' long 1/4'' diameter)
melting chocolate
Toppings:
  crushed cookies
  sprinkles
  candy pieces
  chopped nuts
  coconut

Wash and dry apples. remove stems and insert sticks. Set aside.

Melt butter in a sauce pan, add brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth over medium heat.Add the sweetened condensed milk, continue to stir. Bring mixture to 245 degrees. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool mixture to 210 degrees and quickly dip apples.

Place dipped apples on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Let dry and then dip in melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet dip in toppings. Place back on parchment paper to dry, Store in refrigerator for up to seven days. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing.

Tip: I couldn't find the right size dowels, so I bought 12" inch length, cut them in half and then sharpened one end with the pencil sharpener so it was easier to poke them through the apples.

Chocolate Oat Squares

1 cup plus 2 TB butter, softened, divided
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla, divided
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp baking soda
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In mixing bowl, cream 1 cup butter and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Combine oats, flour, 1 tsp salt, and baking soda. Stir into creamed mixture. Press 2/3 of the oat mixture into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan.
In sauce pan, combine s.c. milk, chocolate chips, remaining 2 tsp butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp vanilla.
Spread over the oat crust. Sprinkle w/ remaining oat mixture. Bake 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.
Original recipe came from Taste of Home magazine November 2000 and contained 1 cup chopped walnuts.

Kettle Korn

1/2 cup (unpopped) popcorn
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Pop 1/2 cup popcorn in air popper. Set aside in large bowl.
Heat next 3 ingredients in small sauce pan, stirring constantly until boiling.
Boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Stir and sprinkle on the salt.

This recipe tastes like kettle corn, but has the consistency of caramel popcorn (just a little gooey). It's the perfect balance of sweet and salty, which is bad, because I can eat the whole bowl.

Sugared Popcorn

1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 C water
2 T margarine
3 C sugar
1 tsp food coloring
3 bags microwave popcorn

Combine everything (except for popcorn) in sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 3 minutes. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat. Pour onto wax paper and let cool. Sugar will harden. Store in airtight container

Delicous Brownie Krispies

1 box brownie mix + ingredients to make them. I used Western Family original.
4 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy Peanut Butter
3 TBS butter
2 cups Rice Krispie type cereal
Bake brownies according to package directions in a greased 9×13″ baking pan. Two minutes before they are supposed to be done, pull brownies from the oven and sprinkle marshmallows across top. Return to oven for 2 minutes to soften marshmallows. Remove from oven and cool completely.
For Topping: combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a bowl. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds at a time until mixture is melted and smooth. Add cereal and stir to coat. Pour over marshmallow layer and spread evenly. Place brownies in the refrigerator for at least an hour until chilled.

Brown Paper Bag Microwave Caramel Popcorn

4 bags microwave butter popcorn

2 cups brown sugar
2 cubes butter (1 cup)
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
BIG brown paper bag (like the ones they bag your groceries in at Harmon's)

Pop popcorn, discard any unpopped kernels and dump popcorn into brown paper bag, set aside
In a 2 qt microwavable glass dish combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave. Stir. Microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in baking soda. Pour hot syrup over popcorn in bag. shake or stir to coat. fold down the top of the bag and place it in the microwave for 1 min. Shake and microwave again for 1 min. Pour onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper to cool and set. Store in airtight container.

This is such an easy recipe and one that you can have the kids help with!

Bon Bons

1 pkg Oreos
1 brick Cream Cheese
Almond Bark (white)

Finely crush Oreo cookies and combine with cream cheese. It's easiest to just mix it with your hands. Shape into 1" balls and place in freezer for 30 minutes. Melt almond bark according to pkg directions. Dip each ball and coat completely. Place on cookie sheet covered with waxed paper and let set in fridge. This only takes about 8 minutes for it to harden. Store in airtight container in the fridge.
You can also color the almond bark with colored melting chips. Don't use food coloring. It hardens the almond bark too quickly.
Easy and so yummy. Very rich!!

CORN POP CANDY

1 15 oz bag corn pops

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 c corn syrup

3/4 c butter

1 T. water

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of baking soda

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, water and vanilla and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add a pinch of baking soda. Pour over corn pops and stir until coated. Pour onto waxed paper to cool. Store in sealed bowl